1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method and a system for exchange of information and data between communication networks such as for example mobile telephone communication networks, telephone fixed networks, the internet, pure data networks or other networks for speech-based and/or non-speech-based services.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increasing integration of these networks as well as the various services offered over these networks requires seamless, rapid and secure communication also between these networks. In this connection there is a problem that these networks in general are operated using different standards. This concerns not only the data protocol, but rather also the type of addressing of the receiver, the type of accounting of the services utilized by the user, the type and the format of the data as well as in certain cases further specific parameters which are employed by a particular network, which would cause interference or which cannot be interpreted in other networks.
Since, as a result of their different histories as well as their different requirements with respect to their bandwidth, speed, type of transmission, etc., a standardization of these networks cannot even come into consideration, there is a need for different possibilities, with which the information exchange is simplified or, in fact, even made possible at all.
From DE 295 11 856 an example of a system is known, with which an exchange of short information (SMS-messaging) between different mobile communication networks is to be made possible. For this purpose each network is assigned a device, which receives, stores and translates in an information exchange format these short messages from the concerned network and then supplies these to a central information distribution facility, which conveys these messages to the device of a target communication network. There the messages are received, the format is translated to the associated network and it is introduced into the network.
A disadvantage of such a monolithic and centrally organized system is comprised however therein, that in particular for large transmission rates the central switching system is very complex and unwieldy and it is hardly possible with economical effort to carry out a checking or processing of individual exchanged information for example for purposes of accounting. It is a further disadvantage that in the case of an error in the central switching system the connection between the networks can completely collapse.
DE 195 39 406 discloses a process for relaying speech associated information in the form of recognition associated data packets of a mobile communication network to a different communication network. Between these networks, there is a central facility for relaying information, which via a number of logical transmission channels is connected with the source mobile communication network, and via respectively one physical transmission channel is connected with multiple target communication networks. Each logical transmission channel is associated with a service, for the operation of which a service center is provided, which is located in one of the target communication networks. By the association of respectively one recognition to one logical transmission channel on the side of the mobile communication network and the fixed connection of such a channel with a logical transmission channel leading to a different target network within the concerned physical transmission channel each data packet should be supplied to the desired target network independent of a network specific receiver address. The central facility however has the same disadvantages, as occur in association with the above discussed messaging system.
Finally from WO 95/33309 a scalable multimedia network is described, which is based on a distributed structure with various hierarchical bus planes, which intends to make it possible for providers of multimedia services to provide in economical manner or supply to a small number of networks and to stepwise build up the capacity with increasing number of users.